Lonely Souls
by Kaylie
Summary: This is mainly about Rowen. Takes palce before they get thier kanji orbs. How Cye and Rowen meet. I'll trash it if I don't get 5 reviews. That is all. (can you tell that I'm tired??) *yawn*
1. Pay a visit to a friend

Notes: Yes, I know it's not all paragraphed. Yes, I know it's annoying. I was having formatting problems (as usual) And yep this first chapter it short.  
I don't own anything but myself. Enjoy!  
  
  
Lonely Souls  
  
"What a day!" Muttered Rowen Hashiba as he walked up the creaky steps of the apartment that he and his father shared. It was Sunday, a bleak rainy Sunday that mirrored Rowen's frame of mind. Rowen pushed open the door and stepped slowly into the uncaring embrace of his apartment. As usual nobody was there to greet him. Rowen sighed and threw his coat on the floor, not caring that there was a brass coat hook hanging near his head.  
Rowen repeated his sigh of discontent for what seemed like the billionth time that say as he crept toward his bedroom. He threw himself upon his bed and stared at the plastic glow-stars that artfully dotted his ceiling. I wish I could get away, he thought as he picked out plastic constellations, even just for a while.   
As if to answer his prayers the phone rang shrilly throughout the apartment, startling Rowen from his reverie. Rowen thought about letting it ring, but after the third ring he heaved himself up from his nest and got the phone.  
"Hello." Rowen said as cheerfully as he could manage.  
"Hey Ro-kun." Answered a familiar voice.  
"Yes dad?" Asked Rowen, knowing fully well what was about to take place.  
"I'm sorry Rowen, but work is very hectic. I'm going to have to pull an all nighter at the lab tonight", Rowen's father sounded apologetic.  
"But Dad you haven't come home for four days now!", Protested Rowen halfheartedly. He knew it would do no good to argue or protest. It never had before and probably wouldn't start now.  
Oh, sure he wanted his dad to be there for him like all the other fathers out there. It would have been nice to have had his dad attend his basket ball games or to even eat dinner with him. Rowen knew that he just wanted to much.  
Rowen had never been apt at making friends, and as a result he had few. It was kind of depressing, but Rowen was used to it. He was usually the odd one out or the one that waas forgotten. In a weird sort of way he almost liked being left to himself. The empty sky of dreams would comfort him in a way that nothing else could. But it was kind of lonely.  
Rowen hung up with his father. How would he spend the rest of his evening? He was just about ready to continue picking out constellations when he remembered about old Mrs. Hanager. She was a lonely soul, too, and loved company. Rowen used to go over and listen to her stories and eat her out of house and home. Lately he'd been in a slum and had not gone to visit her in a while.  
Jolted by a sense of purpose he dug with renewed vigor he got ready to go pay a visit to Mrs. Hanager. Her swiftly walked away from his apartment and toward the duplex where she lived. It was only a few blocks away.  
Rowen thought, as he walked, about his first meeting with Mrs. Hanager. She was a plump grey old lady with weary eyes and a black cane that helped her get about. It was at the local supermarket, and she had left her glasses behind. She was blindly trying to read the print on a box. It was to no avail. She squinted and blushed as Rowen cast a glance her way.  
"Young Man," She had said in her strong sharp voice, " I left me glasses at the house, could you spare an old lady such as myself a moment?"  
Rowen had smiled and read the box for her. It was rather amusing, the way those two got along. Almost uncanny. They both were uncurable star gazers, hated dogs, and loved cats. And they both loved to argue. Together they could get anyone to laugh at their antics.  
Rowens lips twisted upward as he remembered the kindly lady. Yes, it was high time for a visit. He'd neglected his one true friend. So what if he'd been all depressed and lonely? She probably could have cured that. He felt really guilty about abandoning her.  
Suddenly, he was there staring at the dingy duplex. 


	2. tittle

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_t_o_ _s_o_m_e_ _o_l_d_e_r_ _b_o_y_s_ _t_h_a_t_ _h_a_d_ _g_i_v_e_n_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _t_r_o_u_b_l_e_ _i_n_ _t_h_e_ _p_a_s_t_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _g_r_o_a_n_e_d_ _a_n_d_  
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_"_L_o_o_k_ _a_t_ _t_h_e_ _F_r_e_a_k_!_"_ _g_a_w_k_e_d_ _a_ _t_a_l_l_ _l_a_n_k_y_ _g_u_y_._  
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_s_h_o_v_e_d_ _h_i_m_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _s_h_o_v_e_d_ _b_a_c_k_._  
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_"_O_h_h_h_h_h_h_,_"_ _S_m_i_r_k_e_d_ _a_ _d_a_r_k_ _b_o_y_ _n_a_m_e_d_ _D_i_a_._  
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_"_F_i_g_h_t_!_ _F_i_g_h_t_!_ _F_i_g_h_t_!_"_ _T_h_e_y_ _w_e_r_e_ _a_l_l_ _s_o_o_n_ _c_h_a_n_t_i_n_g_._  
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_R_o_w_e_n_ _w_a_s_ _o_n_ _t_h_e_ _d_e_f_e_n_s_e_._ _ _W_h_a_t_ _h_e_ _l_a_c_k_e_d_ _i_n_ _f_i_g_h_t_i_n_g_ _s_k_i_l_l_s_ _h_e_ _m_a_d_e_ _u_p_ _f_o_r_ _w_i_t_h_ _  
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_b_e_i_n_g_ _l_i_g_h_t_ _o_n_ _h_i_s_ _f_e_e_t_._ _ _H_e_ _w_a_s_ _a_b_l_e_ _t_o_ _a_v_o_i_d_ _m_o_s_t_ _o_f_ _t_h_e_ _k_i_c_k_s_ _a_i_m_e_d_ _a_t_ _h_i_s_  
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_g_u_t_ _a_n_d_ _s_i_d_e_s_t_e_p_e_d_ _m_o_s_t_ _o_f_ _t_h_e_ _p_u_n_c_h_e_s_,_ _b_u_t_ _t_h_e_ _o_t_h_e_r_ _g_u_y_ _w_a_s_ _o_b_v_i_o_u_s_l_y_ _m_o_r_e_  
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_e_x_p_e_r_i_e_n_c_e_d_ _a_t_ _f_i_g_h_t_i_n_g_._ _ _  
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_A_ _w_e_l_l_ _p_l_a_c_e_d_ _b_l_o_w_ _t_o_ _R_o_w_e_n_s_ _c_h_e_e_k_b_o_n_e_ _b_r_o_u_g_h_t_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _t_o_ _h_i_s_ _s_e_n_s_e_s_._ _ _T_h_e_s_e_ _  
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_c_r_e_e_p_s_ _h_a_d_ _n_o_ _r_i_g_h_t_!_ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _l_u_n_g_e_d_ _a_t_ _t_h_e_ _b_o_y_ _a_n_d_ _w_r_e_s_t_l_e_d_ _h_i_m_ _t_o_ _t_h_e_ _g_r_o_u_n_d_._  
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_R_o_w_e_n_ _c_a_m_e_ _o_u_t_ _o_n_ _t_o_p_ _a_n_d_ _t_o_o_k_ _t_h_e_ _o_p_p_o_r_t_u_n_i_t_y_ _t_o_ _p_u_n_c_h_ _t_h_a_t_ _n_a_m_e_l_e_s_s_ _m_o_r_o_n_  
_  
_i_n_ _t_h_e_ _f_a_c_e_ _a_ _f_e_w_ _t_i_m_e_s_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _g_o_t_ _u_p_ _a_n_d_ _r_a_n_._  
_  
_  
_  
_'_A_r_e_n_'_t_ _t_h_e_y_ _g_o_i_n_g_ _t_o_ _f_o_l_l_o_w_ _m_e_?_'_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _t_h_o_u_g_h_t_ _a_s_ _h_e_ _j_o_g_g_e_d_._ _ _N_o_ _o_n_e_ _h_a_d_ _g_i_v_e_n_  
_  
_c_h_a_s_e_._ _ _'_C_r_a_p_._ _ _T_h_a_t_ _j_u_s_t_ _m_e_a_n_s_ _I_ _c_a_n_ _e_x_p_e_c_t_ _a_ _b_u_n_c_h_ _o_f_ _s_h_i_t_ _a_t_ _s_c_h_o_o_l_ _f_o_r_ _t_h_e_  
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_n_e_x_t_ _c_o_u_p_l_e_ _m_o_n_t_h_s_._ _ _W_o_n_d_e_r_f_u_l_._'_  
_  
_  
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_R_o_w_e_n_ _s_t_e_w_e_d_ _a_s_ _h_e_ _u_n_l_o_c_k_e_d_ _t_h_e_ _a_p_p_a_r_t_m_e_n_t_ _d_o_o_r_ _a_n_d_ _l_o_c_k_e_d_ _i_t_ _o_n_c_e_ _h_e_ _w_a_s_  
_  
_s_a_f_e_l_y_ _o_n_ _t_h_e_ _o_t_h_e_r_ _s_i_d_e_._ _ _H_e_ _w_e_n_t_ _a_b_o_u_t_ _h_i_s_ _d_a_i_l_y_ _r_o_u_t_i_n_e_,_ _w_h_i_c_h_ _c_o_n_s_i_s_t_e_d_  
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_o_f_ _m_o_s_t_l_y_ _m_u_n_d_a_n_e_ _h_o_u_s_e_w_o_r_k_._ _ _H_e_ _a_t_t_e_m_p_t_e_d_ _t_o_ _c_o_o_k_ _d_i_n_n_e_r_._ _ _H_e_ _w_a_s_n_'_t_ _e_x_a_c_t_l_y_  
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_a_ _b_a_d_ _c_o_o_k_,_ _b_u_t_ _i_t_ _d_e_f_i_n_a_t_  
_  
_s_a_i_d_ _t_h_a_t_ _h_e_'_d_ _s_t_o_p_ _b_y_ _t_o_ _p_i_c_k_ _u_p_ _a_ _f_e_w_ _t_h_i_n_g_s_ _a_n_d_ _c_a_t_c_h_ _u_p_._ _ _  
_  
_  
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_"_M_a_y_b_e_ _I_'_l_l_ _h_a_v_e_ _d_i_n_n_e_r_ _r_e_a_d_y_ _f_o_r_ _d_a_d_._"_ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _h_a_d_ _b_e_c_o_m_e_ _a_c_c_o_u_s_t_u_m_e_d_ _t_o_ _t_a_l_k_i_n_g_  
_  
_w_i_t_h_ _h_i_m_s_e_l_f_ _b_e_c_a_u_s_e_ _h_e_ _w_a_s_ _o_f_t_e_n_ _t_h_e_ _o_n_l_y_ _o_n_e_ _h_e_ _h_a_d_._ _ _ _  
_  
_  
_  
_A_r_o_u_n_d_ _6_:_3_0_ _h_i_s_ _d_a_d_ _c_a_m_e_ _h_o_m_e_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _h_a_d_ _s_p_a_g_h_e_t_t_i_ _a_l_l_ _s_e_t_ _o_u_t_ _a_n_d_ _i_n_s_i_s_t_e_d_  
_  
_t_h_a_t_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_t_h_e_r_ _e_a_t_,_ _t_a_k_e_ _a_ _s_h_o_w_e_r_,_ _a_n_d_ _g_e_t_ _a_ _f_e_w_ _c_h_a_n_g_e_s_ _o_f_ _c_l_o_t_h_e_s_._ _ _  
_  
_  
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_"_H_o_w_s_ _w_o_r_k_?_"_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _a_s_k_e_d_,_ _h_u_n_g_r_y_ _f_o_r_ _a_t_t_e_n_s_i_o_n_,_ _o_v_e_r_ _d_i_n_e_r_._  
_  
_  
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_"_I_t_'_s_ _g_o_i_n_g_ _w_o_n_d_e_r_f_u_l_._ _ _W_e_'_v_e_ _f_o_u_n_d_ _a_ _w_a_y_ _t_o_._._._._"_ _M_r_._ _H_a_s_h_i_b_a_ _r_a_m_b_l_e_d_ _o_n_ _  
_  
_e_x_i_t_e_d_l_y_._ _ _Y_e_s_,_ _w_o_r_k_ _w_a_s_ _h_i_s_ _o_n_e_ _t_r_u_e_ _l_o_v_e_._ _ _  
_  
_  
_  
_R_o_w_e_n_ _l_i_s_t_e_n_e_d_ _e_a_g_e_r_l_y_ _a_n_d_ _g_a_v_e_ _h_i_s_ _d_a_d_ _s_e_c_o_n_d_s_._ _ _"_S_o_u_n_d_s_ _i_n_t_e_r_e_s_t_i_n_g_"_  
_  
_  
_  
_M_r_._ _H_a_s_h_i_b_a_ _l_o_o_k_e_d_ _u_p_ _a_n_d_ _n_o_t_i_c_e_d_ _h_i_s_ _s_o_n_ _f_o_r_ _w_h_a_t_ _s_e_e_m_e_d_ _l_i_k_e_ _t_h_e_ _f_i_r_s_t_  
_  
_t_i_m_e_._ _ _"_W_h_a_t_ _h_a_p_p_e_n_e_d_ _t_o_ _y_o_u_r_ _f_a_c_e_?_"_ _H_e_ _a_s_k_e_d_._  
_  
_  
_  
_"_O_h_ _t_h_a_t_?_"_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _g_i_n_g_e_r_l_y_ _p_r_e_s_s_e_d_ _h_i_s_ _l_a_r_g_e_ _b_r_u_i_s_e_,_ _"_I_t_'_s_ _n_o_t_h_i_n_g_._ _ _I_ _w_a_s_  
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_j_u_s_t_ _c_l_u_m_s_y_,_ _t_h_a_t_s_ _a_l_l_._"_  
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_  
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_"_O_h_._"_ _H_e_ _s_a_i_d_ _s_k_e_p_t_i_c_a_l_l_y_ _a_s_ _h_e_r_ _p_u_s_h_e_d_ _h_i_s_ _g_l_a_s_s_e_s_ _f_a_r_t_h_e_r_ _u_p_ _o_n_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_c_e_._  
_  
_  
_  
_A_f_t_e_r_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_t_h_e_r_ _l_e_f_t_,_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _w_a_s_ _c_o_n_s_i_d_e_r_a_b_l_y_ _m_o_r_e_ _c_h_e_e_r_f_u_l_._ _ _T_h_a_t_ _h_a_d_ _g_o_n_e_ _  
_  
_r_a_t_h_e_r_ _w_e_l_l_._ _ _H_i_s_ _f_a_t_h_e_r_ _h_a_d_ _e_v_e_n_ _s_a_i_d_ _t_h_a_t_ _h_e_ _l_i_k_e_ _t_h_e_ _f_o_o_d_._ _ _  
_  
_  
_  
_R_o_w_e_n_ _s_m_i_l_e_d_a_n_d_ _t_h_o_u_g_h_t_ _t_h_a_t_ _m_a_y_b_e_ _h_e_ _c_o_u_l_d_ _b_e_g_ _h_i_s_ _d_a_d_ _i_n_t_o_ _t_a_k_i_n_g_ _a_ _d_a_y_ _o_f_f_  
_  
_ _s_o_m_e_d_a_y_._ _ _H_e_ _k_n_e_w_ _t_h_a_t_ _i_t_ _w_a_s_ _a_ _v_a_i_n_ _i_d_e_a_,_ _b_u_t_ _h_e_ _c_o_u_l_d_ _p_i_c_t_u_r_e_ _t_h_e_ _t_w_o_ _o_f_ _t_h_e_m_  
_  
_g_o_i_n_g_ _t_o_ _t_h_e_ _z_o_o_ _o_r_ _s_o_m_e_t_h_i_n_g_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _h_a_d_ _a_l_w_a_y_s_ _r_e_s_p_e_c_t_e_d_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_t_h_e_r_ _a_ _l_o_t_,_  
_  
_a_n_d_ _h_e_ _k_n_e_w_ _t_h_a_t_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_t_h_e_r_'_s_ _w_o_r_k_ _w_a_s_ _r_e_a_l_l_y_ _i_m_p_o_r_t_a_n_t_ _t_o_ _h_i_m_ _a_n_d_ _r_e_s_p_e_c_t_e_d_  
_  
_t_h_a_t_ _t_o_o_._ _ _R_o_w_e_n_ _w_a_s_ _j_u_s_t_ _a_ _l_i_t_t_l_e_ _b_i_t_ _a_t_t_e_n_s_i_o_n_ _s_t_a_r_v_e_d_ _a_n_d_ _w_o_r_k_ _h_a_r_d_ _t_o_ _  
_  
_p_l_e_a_s_e_ _j_u_s_t_ _a_b_o_u_t_ _a_n_y_o_n_e_ _w_h_o_'_d_ _g_i_v_e_ _h_i_m_ _t_h_e_ _t_i_m_e_ _o_f_ _d_a_y_._  
_  
_  
_  
_I_t_ _w_a_s_n_'_t_ _t_i_l_l_ _m_u_c_h_ _l_a_t_e_r_ _t_h_a_t_ _R_o_w_e_n_ _r_e_m_e_m_b_e_r_e_d_ _t_h_e_ _p_a_c_k_a_g_e_._ _ _H_e_ _s_a_t_ _o_n_ _h_i_s_ _b_e_d_  
_  
_a_n_d_ _s_l_o_w_l_y_ _o_p_e_n_e_d_ _t_h_e_ _e_n_v_e_l_o_p_e_._ _ _H_i_s_ _f_a_c_e_ _f_e_l_l_ _a_n_d_ _h_e_ _r_e_-_r_e_a_d_ _i_t_._ _ _A_ _s_h_i_v_e_r_  
_  
_r_a_n_ _d_o_w_n_ _h_i_s_ _s_p_i_n_e_ _a_n_d_ _h_e_ _f_e_l_l_ _b_a_c_k_ _a_n_d_ _t_o_o_k_ _t_o_ _s_t_a_r_r_i_n_g_ _a_t_ _t_h_e_ _g_l_o_w_ _s_t_a_r_s_._ _  
_  
_A_n_ _t_e_a_r_ _a_b_s_e_n_t_l_y_ _w_o_r_k_e_d_ _i_t_s_ _w_a_y_ _d_o_w_n_ _t_h_e_ _s_i_d_e_ _o_f_ _h_i_s_ _f_a_c_e_,_ _l_e_a_v_i_n_g_ _a_ _s_t_r_e_a_k_  
_  
_t_h_a_t_ _p_a_v_e_d_ _t_h_e_ _p_a_t_h_ _f_o_r_ _m_a_n_y_ _m_o_r_e_ _t_o_ _c_o_m_e_._ _ _N_e_e_d_l_e_s_s_ _t_o_ _s_a_y_,_ _h_e_ _d_i_d_n_'_t_ _e_x_p_e_c_t_  
_  
_t_h_e_ _p_a_c_k_a_g_e_ _t_o_ _c_o_n_t_a_i_n_ _t_h_a_t_._  
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